Rangers vs Athletics MLB Betting Lines & Game Preview.

Rangers vs Athletics MLB Betting Lines & Game Preview

Written by on April 24, 2019

The Texas Rangers took a chance on acquiring pitcher Drew Smyly this offseason with the Cubs even though Smyly hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2016. So far, the move hasn’t worked and Smyly might be pitching for his rotation spot as an MLB Betting underdog Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics.

How to Bet Rangers vs Athletics MLB Betting Lines & Game Info

  • When: Tuesday, 3:37 PM ET
  • Where: Oakland Coliseum
  • Probable pitchers (away/home): Drew Smyly/Aaron Brooks
  • TV: MLB Extra Innings
  • Live Stream: MLB.tv
  • Radio: Athletics Radio Affiliates
  • MLB Betting Lines: Oakland Athletics -145 (Total 9.5)

Brewers vs Cardinals MLB Odds, Preview & Expert Pick

Why Bet on Texas?

Joey Gallo went 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts and two walks in a loss to the Athletics on Monday. Gallo and the Rangers got nothing going against the Athletics’ pitching staff. Gallo does reach twice via walk, and he’s already drawn 13. He’s also struck out 27 times now, which puts him on pace for a 100-walk, 200-strikeout season to go along with a 62-homer pace.

Gallo is tied with Seattle’s Domingo Santana for the A.L.’s top spot with 5 game-winning RBIs and is 2nd in both slugging percentage (.712) and RBI (22). His 8 homers are T4th in the league and one shy of the club record for March-April accomplished 7 times, last by Josh Hamilton in 2012.

Shin-Soo Choo has reached base safely to open the Rangers’ 1st inning in each of the last 10 games he has been leading off dating back to 4/7. In that span, he has 8 hits, including 6 doubles, and 2 walks and has scored 5 runs. In the leadoff spot, Choo’s average is .333 (21-63), 2nd best in the A.L. (30+ AB) behind TB’s Austin Meadows at .354 (23-65). Choo is 9-for-13 with 7 2B, 2 BB, and an HBP overall to lead off the Texas 1st inning this season. Overall, Choo is hitting .375 (15-40) with 7 2B and 7 BB in his last 11 games to raise his average from .267 to .329, 8th highest in the A.L.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus was lifted from Monday’s game against the Athletics as a precaution after a pitch hit him in the right hand on a swing. Andrus initially stayed in the game, but he didn’t look comfortable at the plate in his next two at-bats and was eventually pulled. X-rays came back clean.

It’s struggling lefty Drew Smyly here. Smyly (0-2) took the loss Friday as the Rangers fell 7-2 to the Astros, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks over 3.2 innings while striking out eight. Smyly served serving up back-to-back homers to Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman in the first inning. The southpaw has yet to last more than five innings in a start, and he’ll limp into his next outing with a 7.80 ERA and 19:10 K: BB through 15 innings.

Smyly faced the A’s on April 12 and allowed four runs in five innings. It’s the only time in four starts that Smyly has made it out of the fourth inning.

Team Stats

Offense
  • Runs: 5.55
  • Hits: 8.36
  • Walks: 3.73
  • Strike Outs: 9.41

Defense

  • Runs: 5.64
  • Hits: 9.45
  • Walks: 4.23
  • Strike Outs: 7.05

Why Bet on Oakland?

Not clear if the A’s will have reliever Lou Trivino for Wednesday as he sat again Tuesday due to a thumb injury. Trivino hurt his thumb playing catch on Sunday, though the severity of the injury isn’t yet known. Missing Trivino for any length of time hurts the A’s, as the 27-year-old has followed up a breakout 2018 campaign with a 1.42 ERA and 16/1 K/BB ratio in 12 2/3 innings so far this year.

First baseman Matt Olson (hand) took soft-toss on Monday. He’ll continue with soft-toss for the next week before then beginning a rehab assignment. Olson has been out since the Japan series with a fractured hamate bone but should be ready to return in early May.

Rangers vs Athletics is going to be a close one.

On Monday, Stephen Piscotty (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI) extended his hitting streak against the Rangers to 15 games. He ties Geronimo Berroa (May 7, 1995 – July 12, 1996) for longest streak against the Rangers in Athletics history. The A’s snapped their three-game home run drought when Piscotty went deep in the second inning. It was their first three-game homerless streak since May 28-30, 2018.

It’s Aaron Brooks on the mound, and he has had a rough beginning to the year and might need to pitch well to hold on to his spot in the rotation. Brooks (2-2) allowed five runs on six hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings in a loss to the Blue Jays on Friday. Brooks has alternated good and bad starts early on; he shut out the Red Sox over six innings in his first start, followed up with a stinker at Houston, and then beat Baltimore before this step backward. He wasn’t fooling anyone Friday, inducing just six swinging strikes on 91 pitches.

Team Stats

Offense
  • Runs: 4.88
  • Hits: 8.42
  • Walks: 3.00
  • Strike Outs: 6.73

Defense

  • Runs: 4.69
  • Hits: 8.38
  • Walks: 3.38
  • Strike Outs: 7.81

Rangers vs Athletics MLB Betting Trends

  • Under is 5-1 in Brooks’ last 6 starts overall
  • Oakland is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Texas
  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oakland’s last 9 games at home
  • Texas is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games on the road
  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Texas’ last 6 games played on a Wednesday

Expert Final Score Prediction for Rangers vs Athletics

Texas Rangers 5 – Oakland Athletics 7